Life and science of a soil ecologist

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My research

At the core of my research are the organisms that live in the soil, such as fungi, bacteria, nematodes, mites, and many, many more barely visible creatures of which most people don’t know that they exist. All these organisms work together to break down organic matter and release nutrients for plant growth, which is not only important for conserving our ecosystems, but also for producing our food. However, climate change, land use change, agricultural practices, and the loss and gain of plant species all threaten the diversity and functioning of these organisms, with direct consequences for the capacity of soils to feed us, but also for the diversity of aboveground organisms, and the conservation of ecosystems. Through my research, I want to find out how these human-induced disturbances affect communities of soil organisms, and how we can protect those to conserve our ecosystems, and to make agriculture more sustainable.